Boogie Wonderland.

Saturday night, Tony brought his mother to our home for an rare overnighter. We made the most of our childless evening and stayed out until 2 a.m.! His cousin Mari was celebrating her 40th birthday with a beautiful poolside dinner and dance.

I so danced my butt off. I shook my grove thing and then I busted all my best moves. I can't remember the last time I busted all of my moves like that. You know, when you really cut loose, go all the way to funkytown, party like it's 1999, that was me.

I also don't
everoften get the chance to show that funky side of myself to Tony's family. Usually, when we go to a wedding or another party, the kids have worn us out by the time the dancing begins and we are on our way home. I began to wonder whether I was showing too much when people were saying things like: "Mel's havin' a good time!" or "who knew?" I'm pretty sure they were laughing with me and not at...wait, now I'm not so sure...who cares! It was worth it!

The only side effect was the extreme soreness. For some ridiculous reason, I had picked that morning to return [I won't even tell you how long it has been] to the gym. So I stepped and kickboxed and weight lifted and crunched to the best of my ability that morning, then danced for three or four hours straight that night! You'd think I was trying to hurt myself! Top to bottom, side to side, every millimeter of my being was laden with hurt, for days. All I can say to that is, it was so totally worth it!

I searched for a great quote about dance and I found some good ones. A really good dance is a true life affirming experience. How much more alive can you feel than when your flailing all your parts in every direction and finding your very own groove? For me the answer must be, not much.

My favorite dance quotes:

I can't tell you what the meaning of life is…
But I can dance it.
-Woody Allen

Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life--learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
-Robert Fulghum

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance...
I hope you dance…
-From the song "I Hope You Dance"

If you just look at all that already exists in your life, all that you already have: unlimited air to breathe, ample lighting to see, music to hear, books to read, stars to dream by, trees to gaze at, floors to dance on, friends to cavort with, enemies to befriend, strangers to meet, woods to walk through, beaches to comb, rocks to scale, rains to cleanse you, rivers to float you, animals to comfort you, you do have to admit, there's more of it than you could ever, ever, ever spend.
But try anyway.
-Mike Dooley

You will find meaning in life only if you create it.
It is not lying there somewhere behind the bushes,
so you can go and you search a little bit and find it.
It is not there like a rock that you will find.
It is a poetry to be composed,
it is a song to be sung,
it is a dance to be danced.
-Osho

Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody is watching. Sing like nobody is listening. Live like it is heaven on earth.
-William Purkey